Santa Cruz BULLIT R / Carbon CC / MX Review

As a component giant, Shimano is mostly known for its dominant position in bicycle gears. But with the EP8, the Japanese are clearly showing that they can look beyond their own plate too. Steep ramps are no problem for the Shimano motor. Additionally, the Shimano EP8 stands out with a well-rounded riding feeling and a harmonious power delivery. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the BULLIT R with only an average range.

The Rock Shox chassis provides safety and traction, even when the trail gets rougher. However, it comes to its limit at high speed. As the bumps become faster and harder, the low-quality chassis could limit the descending fun quite early. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. Bad brakes reduce the riding pleasure. Fortunately, this is not the case with the BULLIT R. With their four pistons and large brake rotors the SRAM brake brakes good. The drivetrain and components have a subordinate but not to be neglected importance when it comes to EMTB. Even the bike brand product managers know this and don't aim too high with mostly average components. The moderate head tube angle provides a good compromise between stability and agility when going downhill. The reach is also right there in the middle ground. Hell yeah, the geometry is killer! Here the remarkable know-how of the Santa Cruz developers is videly visible. On the scale, the BULLIT R makes a good figure with 22,57 kg. Most Enduros are significantly heavier.